This Week In Avalanche Hockey - Jan. 28

Avs Conclude Eight-Game Homestand This Week

The Colorado Avalanche will continue its season-long eight-game homestand this week, with games against Toronto (Thursday), Anaheim (Saturday afternoon) and Calgary (Monday).

This eight-game homestand is the second longest in franchise history behind a nine-game stay wrapped around the Olympic Break in 2001-02. The homestand will span 21 days and include visits from Edmonton, Calgary twice, Los Angeles, San Jose, Toronto, Anaheim and Dallas.
Don’t miss your chance to see the Toronto Maple Leafs in only their second-ever visit to Pepsi Center, or Chris Pronger and the Anaheim Ducks in a Saturday afternoon matinee.

UPCOMING GAMES

Date

Opponent

Time (MT)

TV/Radio

Thur, Jan. 29

TORONTO

7:30 p.m.

Altitude / AM 1510

Sat, Jan. 31

ANAHEIM

1:00 p.m.

Altitude / AM 1510

Mon, Feb. 2

CALGARY

7:30 p.m.

Altitude / AM 1510

AVALANCHE CHARITY BRUNCHThe Avalanche will host its annual Charity Brunch on Sunday, Feb. 8 at the Denver Marriott City Center. The event will include a silent auction, brunch and a fashion show with players and coaches escorting ambassadors from The Children's Hospital.

HEJDUK NOTCHES THREE POINTS AT NHL ALL-STAR GAME
Avalanche forward Milan Hejduk had a goal and two assists for the Western Conference at the 2009 NHL All-Star Game on Sunday night in Montreal. The East went on to beat the West, however, 12-11 in a shootout. For Hejduk, it was his third career appearance in the NHL All-Star Game (also 2000 and 2001). He now has five points (2g/3a) in three career All-Star Games.

CUMISKEY, WEIMAN COMPETE IN AHL ALL-STAR GAME
Lake Erie Monsters defenseman Kyle Cumiskey and goaltender Tyler Weiman competed for the Canadian AHL All-Star team at the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic held Monday night in Worcester, Mass. Cumiskey had a goal, assist and was +6 for the Canadian All-Stars, who fell 14-11 to PlanetUSA. Weiman played the final period for the Canadian All-Stars, allowing seven goals on 15 shots.

CLOSE CALLS
The Avalanche has played 27 one-goal games this season, tied with Detroit for the most in the NHL as of Wednesday. The Avs are 16-10-1 in those 27 contests, tied for the second-most one-goal wins in the league. The New York Rangers have 18 victories, followed by Colorado, Carolina and Detroit with 16 each. Over half (55%) of Colorado's games this year have been decided by one goal.

McLeod

TOUGH.....AND SKILLED
Colorado's Cody McLeod and St. Louis' David Backes are the only NHL players with at least 10 goals and 100 penalty minutes this season. McLeod leads the Avalanche with 103 penalty minutes and is tied for third on the club with 11 goals. Backes has 16 goals and 121 PIM's. The last Avalanche player to reach both marks in the same season was Ian Laperriere, who had 21 goals and 116 PIM's in 2005-06. McLeod has now surpassed 100 minutes in penalties in each of his first two seasons in the NHL.

AVALANCHE ALL-ACCESS
The weekly Avalanche show on Altitude Sports & Entertainment features a behind-the-scenes look at Avalanche players and coaches. This week’s show (Jan. 28) features: Avalanche Vice President of Hockey Operations Craig Billington discussing player development efforts, Avalanche All-Star Milan Hejduk, Break the Ice appearance with Wojtek Wolski and Daniel Tjarnqvist, as well as 90 seconds with John-Michael Liles